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Explore the continuously shifting healthcare landscape and how IT plays a critical role in making healthcare safer, higher quality, more cost-effective and accessible to all.

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Interoperability and Standards

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Vendor

Product testing and certification programs enable vendors to prove the quality of their products to prospective and current customers. And, such programs accelerate the alignment of buyers’ needs with regulatory requirements. Companies can test and enhance their products in a neutral, real-time setting.

Integrating IT software into an existing health system is a complex scenario with many moving parts.Vendor teams can benefit from working with a neutral partner to uncover the necessary steps and guiding principles to successfully accomplishing interoperability goals.

Provider

Interoperable health IT systems and standards are important tools you can use to improve care delivery. Interoperable IT systems streamline information flow, reduce medical errors, increase clinical and administrative efficiency, and can make coordinated, cost-effective patient care a reality. Patients, Administrators and staff waste too much time and money searching for missed information, correcting errors, duplicating efforts, and overlooking revenue opportunities.

Consumer

Interoperability and standards ensure that your health information follows you wherever you go; so that your care providers have the right information – about you and your needs – at the right time.

Because we often see different clinicians for various reasons , it makes sense that wherever you go, your health information is both secure, and readily available, to you and your care provider.

HIMSS is here to help you understand how to electronically access your health information, and share useful data with your care providers. Our easy-to-understand tools and resources will help you learn about security, access, and sharing your health information with those who need to know.

Talk to your healthcare professional about setting up a patient portal, electronically accessing your medical records, and how you can contribute data to your own personal health record.

Connected Health

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Vendor

One of your customers’ top priorities is having connected health devices and apps that enable secure, anytime, anywhere access to data and communications. Usability and ease of installation and maintenance are important considerations for your customers.Your providers and their patients demand apps that are mobile-compatible, have good user interfaces and enhance practice efficiency. And customers expect multiple functionalities, such as medication management, appointment requests, health reminders and lab test results.

Provider

Connected Health allows a provider to use devices like smart phones and tablets to access patients’ Electronic Health Records. It also allows patients access to that same information through a patient portal.

HIMSS provides best practices to help you implement patient engagement technologies, including the use of mobile devices and apps to improve workflow and communication with patients. Learn more about the Connected Health Community and upcoming events.

Consumer

Now, you can access information through a patient portal to review lab results, the visit summary and ask follow-up questions from your smart phone or tablet. You can even manage your prescriptions, medication list, and order refills.

HIMSS encourages you to be a “connected consumer.” Use apps and devices that can help enhance your care. Learn how portals and other online/mobile tools can provide value. For example, wearable devices can help manage chronic conditions and improve health and wellness.

Ask your provider how you can access your patient portal through a mobile app.

Privacy and Security

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Vendor

Vendor organizations providing services that create, receive, transmit, or maintain protected health information (PHI) on behalf of a covered entity or a business associate must comply with HIPAA for the use, disclosure, and protection of PHI.

Some vendor organizations are new to HIPAA, because they have been only recently required to comply as a business associate or subcontractor. HIPAA compliance is achievable, but it can be complex. Vendor teams may not know what educational resources are available.

HIMSS can help vendor organizations understand their obligations to safeguard patients’ information under HIPAA. HIMSS has toolkits focused on privacy and security, risk assessment, cloud computing, and the small provider organization, offering a wealth of easy-to-understand information.

Learn about the health sector’s privacy and cybersecurity best practices and guidance. Become a HIMSS Member today and help contribute to important privacy and security efforts.

Provider

Providers must comply with HIPAA for the use, disclosure, and protection of protected health information (PHI). These requirements apply for information in any medium, whether paper or electronic.

The HIPAA Privacy Rule permits uses and disclosures of PHI. The HIPAA Security Rule requires protection of electronic PHI. The Breach Notification Rule has various requirements. Providers may not know where to turn for guidance.

HIMSS can help you understand the obligations you have to safeguard patients’ information under HIPAA. Access toolkits focused on privacy and security, risk assessment, cloud computing, and the small provider organization, offering a wealth of easy-to-understand information. Become a HIMSS Member today and help contribute to important privacy and security efforts.

Consumer

The privacy and security of your health information is fundamental to a well-functioning healthcare environment. This means that healthcare providers, other healthcare-covered entities and their business associates must protect your information.

As a consumer, you have the right to access and request amendments to your healthcare records. A provider can use or disclose your clinical information for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, or in the event of a medical emergency. You can also authorize the release of your records to third parties, with a written HIPAA authorization form.

HIMSS can help you understand how covered entities – including providers, clinics, pharmacies and others – and their business associates are required to safeguard your health information. The HIMSS Privacy and Security Toolkit offers a wealth of easy-to-understand information on this topic.

Talk to your healthcare providers about how they keep your health information private and secure

Health Business Solutions

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Vendor

Major structural changes in healthcare indicate vendors must include revenue cycle management tools to help clients collect payments more efficiently from consumers.

This adjustment affects payers and providers as well, since both expect cost-effective I-T capabilities offering accessible information without completely replacing legacy systems. Thus, vendors must consider a more comprehensive and interoperable approach to product development; one that supports multiple ways the same information may be used.

HIMSS invites payer and vendor organizations to join its Revenue Cycle Improvement Task Force to help create the “revenue cycle of the future.” Together, payers, providers and vendors can design new and better ways to share information, and more efficient payment systems.

Provider

As patients become responsible for more of the cost of their care, it’s imperative you find a way to encourage them to pay on-time and reduce any debt associated with patient payments.

Payment processing remains highly inefficient. About 15 cents of every dollar spent on healthcare is lost on administrative waste and bad debt. You need to avoid this in your practice by implementing patient payment controls.

These systems, processes and, in some cases, staffing models, must be reinvented if they are to remain competitive in this increasingly consumer-driven world. HIMSS is laying the groundwork for next- generation revenue cycle management tools and processes.By working together, patients, providers, payers and vendors can improve patient payment models and support high quality healthcare delivery.

Consumer

Because you are increasingly responsible for paying for your care, you expect more. HIMSS encourages you to seek more information about your treatment and payment options.

Historically, you have not necessarily been mindful of the costs associated with care or treatment options related to these costs. However, as you become increasingly responsible for paying the bill – you’ll become motivated to engage more with your healthcare providers.

To help you understand this changing reality, HIMSS developed a new recycle cycle model and infographic; one that illustrates a “patient-centered” process.

Begin talking with your provider about the up-front costs and options for your care and treatment.

HIMSS Analytics

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Vendor

HIMSS Analytics improves decision making for health IT vendors by delivering high quality data and consulting expertise. The databases from HIMSS Analytics cover topics such as market utilization, vendor market share, purchase plans, and detailed pricing information. While HIMSS Analytics’ Advisory Solutions Group uses qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to help you reach your specific goals.

In today’s crowded market your prospects are becoming harder to reach. HIMSS Analytics market data and advisory solutions help you overcome the noise by targeting the right audience for your offering at the right time in the buying cycle.

Provider

HIMSS Analytics improves your decision making by letting you benchmark your IT progress against similar organizations using the same vendors and products.

Your organization must navigate an ever-changing health IT landscape while juggling regulatory implications. In today’s market you are surrounded by information, yet starved for insights. You need to know how your peers are handling challenges and product options, and which vendors can best meet your needs.

HIMSS Analytics’ family of maturity models and related consulting solutions help your organization achieve full EMR adoption, analytical optimization, and true integrated healthcare delivery. With HIMSS Analytics’ databases you can see what your peers are doing so you can approach purchasing decisions totally prepared.

Consumer

Providers are striving for continuous quality improvement in delivering your healthcare. For patients seeing multiple caregivers, keeping track of your clinical information can be complicated and challenging. HIMSS Analytics helps providers navigate an ever-changing health IT landscape so they can deliver better healthcare.

HIMSS Analytics works with providers to improve delivery of care by encouraging full adoption and integration of electronic health records or EHRs by providing the needed tools to get there. EHRs help your clinicians have secure, appropriate access to your health information when and where they need it.